1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a surgical instrument, e.g., a linear stapler, having an articulating tool assembly. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a surgical instrument which includes a mechanism for controlling and actuating an articulating surgical instrument.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical instruments that include a tool assembly mounted on a distal end of a body portion of the surgical instrument for articulation are well known. Typically, such surgical instruments include articulation control mechanisms which allow an operator to remotely articulate the tool assembly in relation to the body portion of a surgical instrument. This allows the operator to more easily access, operate on, and/or manipulate tissue.
Such articulating tool assemblies have become desirable, especially in the endoscopic surgical procedures. In an endoscopic surgical procedure, the distal end of a surgical instrument is inserted through a small incision in the body to access a surgical site. Typically, an appropriately sized cannula, e.g., 5 mm, 10 mm, etc., is inserted through the body incision to provide a guide channel for accessing the surgical site.
Current known devices can typically require 10-60 pounds of manual hand force to clamp tissue and deploy and form surgical fasteners in tissue which, over repeated use, can cause a surgeon's hand to become fatigued. Gas powered pneumatic staplers which implant surgical fasteners into tissue are also known in the art. Certain of these instruments utilize a pressurized gas supply which connects to a trigger mechanism. The trigger mechanism, when depressed, simply releases pressurized gas to clamp tissue and implant fasteners into the tissue.
Motor-powered surgical staplers are also known in the art. These include powered surgical staplers having motors which activate staple firing mechanisms. However, these motor powered devices only provide for limited user control of the stapling process. The user can only toggle a single switch and/or button to actuate the motor and applies corresponding torque to the stapler's firing mechanisms. In certain other devices, a controller is used to control the stapler, which then powers the clamping and fastening processes.
There is a continual need for powered surgical staplers which include various sensors. The sensors provide relevant feedback to feedback controllers which automatically adjust various parameters of the powered stapler in response to sensed feedback signals representative of stapler operation, including articulation and actuation of the tool assemblies.